


from the First Forever

by Oaklin



Series: Forever Everything [64]
Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: (if anything they do can be considered platonic), (in a relatively platonic way), Awkward Conversations, Kayfabe Compliant, Laying In Bed Together, M/M, Swearing, mentions of poor Steve Corino, obligatory Kevin Steen warning, to be fair none of them know what they are doing, who has no fucking idea what he is getting himself into
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-22 06:44:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11961891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oaklin/pseuds/Oaklin
Summary: It's a stilted, awkward moment, in a ratty motel on scratchy sheets.It isn't what he expected, but it is a start.





	from the First Forever

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello!
> 
> So this week was long and crappy and aggravating. I had very little time for writing which sucks, but this got done despite all adversity. Just rambly fluff, basically. I think they both needed a cool down after the last few fics. No Generico in this one, unfortunately.
> 
> I'm really tired, I hope you all had a better week than me, and enjoy!

“Does your face hurt? It looks like you got hit by a fucking semi truck.”

“Nope. I’m fine. Can’t really feel it at all actually. How’s your shoulder?”

“Hurts like a bitch.”

Sami sits up a bit, propping himself up on his elbow to look at Kevin with exhausted concern. “Do you need-”

“I’m good. Took pain killers earlier. Eddy handed me- _something_. Dunno what it was, but it helped a lot.”

Sami flops back down, the concern ebbing away. Reaching over, he bats weakly at Kevin‘s ribs, too tired and sore to reprimand the man much more than that. “Idiot. Don't take random drugs that Eddy gives you.”

Kevin snorts, laying remarkably still even as he fusses restlessly with the hem of the sheet, pulling it up and laying the corner of the linen over his chest as he tears at the stitching. “Whatever. You were just concerned about my pain. Now you **want** me to be hurting.”

“I literally never, _ever_ want you to hurt. For _**any** _ reason.”

Sami waits through the awkward silence that that sentence tosses over the room like a thick wool blanket.

Kevin inhales loudly a few times, something soft in his eyes. He turns his head away before Sami can get a good eyeful, but it looks gentle. Vulnerable. “Made the roof of my mouth numb.”

“Do you need some water?”

“Don’t you fucking get up for that.”

“Okay.”

More awkward silence.

“That shower sucked," Kevin quips finally, the stilted air disapating a bit as he speaks. Sami turns a bit, blinking at his companion in bewilderment.

“That was random.”

Kevin just shrugs, looking nonchalant and unconcerned.

Sami shakes his head, unable to believe that they are actually conversing about the quality of motel showers. “Showers are great, what are you even talking about-"

“Water pressure is shit and there was about two and a half minutes of hot water," Sami blinks some more, and Kevin adds, “Give or take. I was half asleep when I went in there." Kevin nods, like Sami actually needed that explanation.

(what is even happening)

“Kevin- why are we talking about showers? Really?"

Kevin scoffs, sounding so offended that Sami is actually taken aback for a moment.

“Fine then, fuck you. We will just sit here in oppressive silence for innumerable more lifetimes, eh?" Kevin picks something up off the bed, tossing it across the room with a huff. “Teach me to try and make small talk. Man, fuck you, you ungrateful piece of-"

“Why was the first thing that came to your mind showers?" Sami asks, genuinely confused, even as he reaches over and rests his palm unobtrusively against Kevin’s bicep.

Well. Unobtrusively in that Sami is not touching much of Kevin. Kevin, of course, still tenses up like Sami has slammed a hot iron across his skin. Kevin does not pull away though, so Sami supposes that Kevin is less angry about Sami ruining his small talk than the other man is letting on.

Kevin mumbles something so quietly that Sami has to strain, still managing to catch only pieces of the words.

“What? Kevin, come on, don't grumble."

Kevin makes an irritated sound, shifting until his side bumps harshly against Sami's. “Just shut the fuck up and go take a shower. You were complaining about your sore muscles all afternoon. The water might not be hot, but you smell like old sweat and stale beer. Go deal with that."

Sami blinks, feeling oddly touched, even as he internally acknowledges the insult.

“Aw, that is so sweet. You are **concerned** about me-"

“Shut the fuck up, Sami."

Sami obliges his friend, watching as the other man turns away from him slightly, Kevin staring blankly at the wall. Kevin doesn't move away from Sami, however, leaving their sides pressed tightly together as they lay there on the scratchy motel sheets. Sami can't seem to tear his eyes away from the pouty, brooding sight, so he just lays there contentedly and observes Kevin's prone, unresponsive form.

Still.

Kevin is clearly tired. And Sami has been needling him quite a lot in the last few minutes.

“Sorry. For bothering you, after your match with Steve."

Kevin does turn around at that, raising an eyebrow at Sami.

“Since when do you call him ‘Steve'? Did I miss the part where you two became best friends who call each other by first names?" Kevin voice is mild, and Sami finds the thin thread of jealousy to be somewhat endearing.

(Which is probably a bad thing, to be honest)

-Don't encourage him-

Sami just shrugs in response, unsure if there is an answer that will make Kevin happy in this particular scenario. “You didn't miss anything. I just got along really well with him," Sami bites his lip, considering his next words, “That and he made it a point to grill me about your whole ‘Mr. Wrestling' thing."

Kevin snorts loudly, turning his eyes to the ceiling, their dark depth examining the cracks and grooves with great attention. “Great. So, while I was getting mentally prepared for a grueling bout, you were fraternizing with the enemy."

“I don't think Steve is your enemy," Sami says softly, running a thumb over the contours of Kevin's shoulder muscles.

“Everyone is-"

(No)

“I think you two could be friends, someday," Sami cuts across Kevin's mumbling, his own voice slightly shaky as the words fill him with an odd sereneness that he cannot explain.

How nice that would be.

If someday, long into the future they could all just-

(Be at peace with themselves and each other)

-Kevin?-

(...yeah, okay)

(Point taken)

Still, Sami realizes yet again that he is needlessly harassing Kevin. Keeping the sleepy, exhausted man awake and badgering him about things he clearly does not want to talk about.

“Sorry about-”

“Don’t fucking apologize,” Kevin says, the words coming out of his mouth in a nearly silent whisper. Sami has to strain to hear the barely murmured words. “I get it. I just- lay off, alright? Tired. Not mad at you, or anyone else. Just... tired."

Sami pauses, his fingers twitching where they rest against his own side and on Kevin’s bicep. He fights down the urge to protest, to make some sort of case for-

-For what?-

-He has a point-

-Not your fault-

Sami draws in a breath, raising his hands. He breaths slowly, locking his elbows and spreading his fingers out above his head, watching the weak light filtering through the window wash over his hands. Sami studies the patterns of the ceiling behind his digits, blinking as his eyes try to follow the cracks and random stains.

“Alright,” Sami agrees at last, smiling slightly at the brevity of this conversation, devoid of their usual snark and waffling.

Kevin seems less amused however. Sami feels his whole body stiffen, the places where their skin touches shifting and going rigid. Sami turns his head and blinks, feeling thrown off. He lowers his hands, resting them on his chest, the rise and fall of his own breathing only somewhat of a constant comfort. Tapping his fingers against his sternum, Sami just lays there and watches Kevin, as the man beside him seems to struggle with... Sami is not sure, to be honest.

(nothing Kevin does makes much sense anymore)

-Did it ever?-

Sami could swear it used to. Maybe it even still does, but the logic Kevin is operating on is not known to Sami, is far beyond his comprehension.

That is always the way things seem to go for them, it seems.

“Why do you do that?” Sami asks, unable to help himself.

Kevin twitches, the fingers of the hand closest to Sami spasming, Kevin’s arm shifting in Sami’s direction like Kevin means reach out and touch him. Kevin visibly grits his teeth though, reaching up with his other hand to rub his fingers across his bottom lip, and his wayward hand stills where it is, tantalizingly close.

But so very far.

Somehow.

“Do what.”

“That thing. That thing where you act like the words coming out of my mouth are a heat seeking enziguri that smashes straight into your skull. You always-”

Kevin twitches again, more violently this time, his wandering hand lashing out for real this time, snapping out and snatching Sami’s wrist up. Sami stops talking and just watches, as fascinated by the reaction as he is confused. He looks down at their joined hands, wondering why exactly Kevin choose this moment to reach out and touch him. Given that, going by the strained look on Kevin’s face, he doesn’t particularly _want_ to be touching Sami at all right now, and is doing it just to shut Sami up, Kevin decision to clasp their forearms together makes little sense.

(Not that Sami minds)

Much.

“You okay?”

Kevin turns and looks at Sami then, slightly hysterical incredulity on his face. Kevin’s hand is still clasped around Sami’s wrist, the grip tight and uncomfortable, though Sami says nothing, just watches Kevin’s internal freak out.

Because surely, that is what is going on here.

“I’m fucking peachy, you?”

Sami shrugs, wondering if he jinxed them earlier when he thought that this conversation was going to be short and to the point. “I’ve been better.”

Kevin says nothing, watching Sami silently for a long moment. Sami also stays silent, watching him back. The misty, all-encompassing silence is back. It is almost their trademark at this point, making all of their interactions fraught and tense in ways that are probably not normal or safe.

(Wait)

(Not safe?)

-Well-

(Perfectly safe here)

-No-

-Not at all-

Ridiculous.

(Not leaving.)

-Being stubborn doesn't make you **invulnerable** -

-Or **_smart_** -

“The waters probably warmed back up,” Kevin says, interrupting Sami’s thoughts.

Sami glances at the bathroom door, like and idiot, as if he can see the shower or the water heater from where they are laying. Not that it would matter. He guesses that Kevin is correct, though he neither cares, nor has Sami been paying enough attention to the time to know for sure. Sami looks back at his companion, glancing at those eyes very briefly before looking down at where his wrist is still being held hostage.

“You are going to have to let go if you want me to go wash the stink off.”

Kevin doesn’t move.

“You smell fine,” Kevin says at last, his voice trailing off as he leans into Sami's side, his head almost tucked into Sami's chest, letting out a long sigh of exhaustion.

(...not what Sami was expecting Kevin to say.)

At all.

-Huh-

-That is...-

(does Kevin always have to-)

And yeah, okay. Rhetorical question.

Thought.

Whatever.

(Damn it.)

“Okay then. You wanna lay here and take a nap then?”

Sami looks over as he speaks, his neck protesting at the movement. Kevin, however, is way ahead of him. Sami smiles softly, reaching out and running his hands across the stubble adorning Kevin’s cheek, unable to help the wave of tender fondness that floods him at the sight of his snoozing companion.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”


End file.
